What is Going to Happen With Sports?

[harllee]

I heard on the radio today that all minor league baseball has been cancelled for the year. The report said that half of the minor league teams were in financial trouble and could go under. Very sad. Minor league baseball is a big thing in many smaller cities. I have enjoyed many a summer evening at a minor league ball park. I hope most of the items can make it.

 

[JoeWras]

I heard on the radio today that all minor league baseball has been cancelled for the year. The report said that half of the minor league teams were in financial trouble and could go under. Very sad. Minor league baseball is a big thing in many smaller cities. I have enjoyed many a summer evening at a minor league ball park. I hope most of the items can make it.

MLB was in the process of trying to contract MiLB for some time now. The virus makes it all but certain. harlee: not sure if you were ever able to make it up to Burlington to see the Burlington Royals. They were a short season A team (almost as low as pro ball can go) and that league was on the cutting list. I doubt we'll ever see MiLB there again. Maybe something more amateur.

Too bad, because the Burlington park was a real throw back to the old days of baseball, much as portrayed in the movie "Bull Durham". Until recently, Miles Wolff owned them, as he did the Durham Bulls of the 80s. The Durham Bulls of today are nothing like 30 years ago. Way more serious and commercial.

I miss those days of both MiLB and MLB before it all blew up into a commercial monster.

 

[harllee]

JoeWras, I never made it to see the Burlington Royals, sounds like a fun team. I mainly watch UNC college baseball and the Durham Bulls. Where I grew up we had the Hi Toms (High Point/Thomasville) and I loved watching that team. Nothing better than a summer evening watching baseball.

 

[GTFan]

No college football if folks don't wear masks...

https://www.dawgnation.com/football/gov-kemp-says-people-need-to-hunker-down-and-wear-masks

LOL. It's going to be real interesting to see how they're going to justify a lot of players in close contact to play ball given the current rapid rise in COVID. Camps start by end of month for both college and pros, not a lot of time left. Yeah I know they're testing but this is probably the hardest sport to restart given the way it's played.

 

[explanade]

Saw a headline that the NBA is spending $150 million for the bubble.

Might be tough for college teams to pay for constant and frequent testing.

 

[harllee]

The University of North Carolina Football coach sent out a tweet that said if people want a college football this fall everyone needs to start wearing a mask.

 

[Montecfo]

The politization of sports has certainly reduced the appeal. Perhaps college sports will avoid this.

On the COVID front, it seems really tough. Hard to get young ballplayers to distance off the field/court.

I do not think one infection will end a team but they will need serious contact tracing, and expanded rosters.

 

[Gumby]

If this ends up killing professional and big time college sports, that will be the one good thing about it. Such a gigantic waste of time and money they are.

 

[explanade]

If this ends up killing professional and big time college sports, that will be the one good thing about it. Such a gigantic waste of time and money they are.

That's an opinion.

Fact is that they generate a lot of economic activity and jobs for people, both directly for those who work for teams, in stadiums, and indirectly for restaurants, bars and other businesses which generate a lot or most of their income around sporting events.

 

[garyt]

If this ends up killing professional and big time college sports, that will be the one good thing about it. Such a gigantic waste of time and money they are.

Wow, lots of people make a living off sports. And I'm not talking about the billionaire owners and millionaire players. Ushers, ticket takers, food service, souvenirs, clothing,TV crews and on and on.

 

[Gumby]

You could pay a lot of people to dig holes in the ground and then fill them back up again. That would be economic activity too, but it wouldn't be useful.

That's an opinion.

Fact is that they generate a lot of economic activity and jobs for people, both directly for those who work for teams, in stadiums, and indirectly for restaurants, bars and other businesses which generate a lot or most of their income around sporting events.

 

[JoeWras]

You could pay a lot of people to dig holes in the ground and then fill them back up again. That would be economic activity too, but it wouldn't be useful.

I would enjoy watching that on EDHN (Entertainment and Dig Hole Network).

Sports provides something important for many people: a diversion. They also allow people to unite for reasons other than religion, race, protest, etc. There is a mental health aspect to them. Basically, sports are an evolution of war.

 

[harllee]

If this ends up killing professional and big time college sports, that will be the one good thing about it. Such a gigantic waste of time and money they are.

Gumby, don't you have any hobbies or interests or things you watch on TV? For many of us sports are our hobby and we love it.

 

[Oilcan]

I love sports. PBR all the way! That's professional bull riding; not Pabst Blue Ribbon.

 

[Gumby]

I have nothing against sports per se. In fact, I spent many years playing several of them. I also understand that people enjoy watching them. But, in my opinion, modern professional sports have devolved into nothing more than a highly efficient machine for transferring money from fans (and from taxpayers, whether fans or not) into the pockets of the team owners. And big time college sports like football and basketball, which feed the professional ranks, have a corrosive effect on colleges and universities.

To answer your specific question, I haven't watched TV in about 43 years, and my interests are usually directed toward doing something useful, like growing and canning my own vegetables, making beer and soap, improving my house, learning how to FIRE etc.

Gumby, don't you have any hobbies or interests or things you watch on TV? For many of us sports are our hobby and we love it.

 

[RunningBum]

What is it that makes someone come crap in a thread for a topic they have no interest in?

 

[Gumby]

Just to annoy you. Anyway, I'm done, so feel free to carry on.

What is it that makes someone come crap in a thread for a topic they have no interest in?

My apologies, harlee, for disrupting your thread.

 

[mickeyd]

As sports (especially pro sports) have become more and more political lately, I have lost all desire to watch on TV (or in person). I wonder how many silent citizens will also not view the games and find other things to do with their extra time?

 

[Ronstar]

As sports (especially pro sports, have become more and more political lately, I have lost all desire to watch on TV (or in person). I wonder how many silent citizens will also not view the games and find other things to do with their extra time?

I’ll watch just enough to get a list of advertisers to boycott. Then turn to other things.

 

[explanade]

I have nothing against sports per se. In fact, I spent many years playing several of them. I also understand that people enjoy watching them. But, in my opinion, modern professional sports have devolved into nothing more than a highly efficient machine for transferring money from fans (and from taxpayers, whether fans or not) into the pockets of the team owners. And big time college sports like football and basketball, which feed the professional ranks, have a corrosive effect on colleges and universities.

To answer your specific question, I haven't watched TV in about 43 years, and my interests are usually directed toward doing something useful, like growing and canning my own vegetables, making beer and soap, improving my house, learning how to FIRE etc.

Sure there are discussions which could be had about whether people should be watching sports, or spending time on any diversionary activity.

But millions or probably billions choose to watch sports.

The millions or billions who don't are at best neutral on sports, won't watch sporting events themselves but won't oppose those interested in watching them.

There's never going to be universal agreement on whether sports are good or not.

For instance, colleges provide a variety of athletic programs, many of which are not watched widely by the public. These are sports which aren't going to be tied to any professional sports or generate economic activity themselves.

But they may do good for the participants, who earn scholarships without which they otherwise would not be able to go to college. Or the sports themselves may provide other benefits, like experiences in working together with teams, which will translate to the working lives of those who take part.

 

[Oilcan]

As sports (especially pro sports) have become more and more political lately, I have lost all desire to watch on TV (or in person). I wonder how many silent citizens will also not view the games and find other things to do with their extra time?

I agree 100%.

Also want to say thanks for your service and noticed your award of the CIB (Combat Infantryman Badge). Thank you!

 

[harllee]

It is looking less and less likely there will be college football this fall. UNC had 38 positive virus tests among student athletes/coaches that had returned to campus and football practice has now been suspended. This has also happened at several other schools. The Ivey League just announced that there will be no sports until at least January.

In golf, the Ryder Cup has been postponed until next year.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

As sports (especially pro sports) have become more and more political lately, I have lost all desire to watch on TV (or in person). I wonder how many silent citizens will also not view the games and find other things to do with their extra time?

Citizens like myself.

 

[JDARNELL]

Citizens like myself.

Yep I don’t watch NBA or NFL. I do like baseball but I’ll watch college ball if the MLB goes sideways.

 

[candrew]

You could pay a lot of people to dig holes in the ground and then fill them back up again. That would be economic activity too, but it wouldn't be useful.

Having dug myself into a few holes over my lifetime, you'd have to pay me some serious coin to do that again.